Day 3 - my views on drugs and alcohol.  If it's legal I'm okay with it.  With the exception of one very joyful Hawks game at McNally's back in 91 or 92, I waited until I turned 21 to drink.  I never had a fake id, never tried to order a drink.  I knew the rules were I had to be 21 so I waited.  I was not one of those kids that was daring and adventurous when it came to breaking rules (unlike my brother and sister).  I'm pretty easy that way.  I've only gotten drunk once (see mention above) and it wasn't the rip roaring, puke my guts out-what the heck did I do last night kind of drunk.  I remember laughing - A LOT.  So much Rich covered my mouth with his hand cuz he thought I was going to wake his Mom.  (He was right - I did.  She acted mad (we weren't going out that long I don't think) but after all the drinking she did she had a lot of nerve.  I remember walking outside of McNally's (it's was a playoff game and they had some kind of contests at the bar, the guy in charge kept giving me the prizes even though I didn't have the winning ticket.  I must have been a cute drunk girl!!!)  and having to stop and lean on the wall cuz I couldn't stop laughing.  I have no idea what was so funny.  Perhaps the absurdity of ME getting drunk.  I don't have any bad memories of it (neither does Rich!;-)) but I never did it again.  I would get buzzed but never drunk. 

Growing up my Father drank beer.  I remember being little and asking can I have a sip of your beer.  Now, before you go judging my Dad, he was 100% Polish.  Not off the boat Polish, but both parents were pure Pollaks.  Drinking was common.  Mom is 90% Irish - hello!  Drinking was a way of life for most of her family. (until my Grandpa made a deathbed promise to his Mom when he was in early 20's).  Dad drank warm beer.  Yep, that's right.  He didn't bother refrigerating it - until my Mom pointed out to him that company might not want to drink a warm beer when offered it. (Course, she never made room in the frige for it til that moment - I'm sure he didn't want to hear her gripe about it).  So anyway, there we were - little kids 8 or 9 years old, and asking could we have a sip.  Mom's still mad about it when she tells the story. I think it was the best thing he could have done.  My first taste of liquor was warm beer.  Yuck.  So when I reached the age of "wonder what that tastes like" and my friends would venture behind their father's bars (funny, both my best friends in grade school had basement bars!) I wasn't tempted.  It was never my idea.  I remembered how awful that beer tasted and said no thanks.  Now a days DCFS would probably be called. 

Drugs - well they aren't legal so you shouldn't do them.  Period.  Personally, I've never gotten high or used any illegal drug.  Music is my drug - concerts are my addiction and I hope one day to marry a lyrical genius who will impress me with his thoughtful prose!   I've wanted to work for the FBI for a long time now and I want to answer honestly when they administer the drug tests.  Course, I've always worried about how I could be a good parent and recognize if my child was using, when I never did.  I mean, I screwed up royally with my exfiance (didn't see his using/dealing, cheating, abusing side til it was too late) so how could I protect a child when I failed to protect myself?  Perhaps that's why I never felt a desire to have kids.    Anyways, I'm always saddened to learn of people who use drugs to "escape" rather than face their problems.  So to quote Mr. Mackey "Drugs are bad! Ok?"